Bean: LeFlore's Hughley produces another top season but without his usual top talent

G.M. ANDREWS/Staff PhotographerLeFlore basketball coach Otis Hughley works from the bench during the Rattlers' game against Blount on Jan. 18 at the Mitchell Center in Mobile.BIRMINGHAM -- If anyone harbored doubts about Otis Hughley's coaching ability, the veteran coach surely erased them this season.

Hughley has continued LeFlore's tradition as one of the state's elite programs, having advanced to the state semifinals in Birmingham six times in seven seasons. Hughley led the Rattlers to the Class 6A state title in 2007 -- the fourth in school history, adding to coach Robert Bettis' 6A title in 2002 and coach J.D. Shelwood's 6A triumphs in 1986 and 1989.

Josh BeanLeFlore's success under Hughley has led to invitations to tournaments in Minneapolis, Seattle and Hawaii, in large part because of the presence of big-time prospects Nick Williams and DeMarcus Cousins on the roster.

This year, though, the Rattlers entered the season without a major college recruit and with almost no one outside their locker room expecting a deep postseason run. They lost all five starters, including future NBA millionaire Cousins, from last season and returned only one player with meaningful playing experience.

Yet, here they are, playing in today's Class 5A semifinals.

"At first, it was an unusual feeling because last year we were always the favorite to win," said senior Joshua James, the only player back who played major minutes last season. "But this year, we were the underdog and we told ourselves that we had to push ourselves even harder so we can win. We grew as a team. We bought in to what coach told us. And we're still growing as a team and as a family."

For the first time in years, the season started with several key players still playing football as LeFlore advanced to the playoffs. That meant wide receiver Danny Woodson and defensive lineman Freddie Dunson missed several weeks of basketball.

Even when leading scorer Tycal Thrash left the team in January (although he has since returned), the team never skipped a beat. The Rattlers lost a handful of games to local schools but clearly learned from those setbacks.

"There's probably a couple of Division I football players and maybe a couple of mid-to-low Division I basketball players, but you wouldn't identify them until late in the year," Hughley said. "Now, people say we're loaded. Wait a minute, what happened? Why weren't we loaded in the beginning? These are the same children."

And the same coach.

"I'm blown away," Hughley said. "Not because I thought these kids couldn't do it, but because it happened."

Contact Josh Bean at jbean@press-register.com

His column appears on Thursdays in the Press-Register. Check out Bean's blog at //blog.al.com/josh-bean